A stakes winner trying to remain perfect is always of interest, and that is the draw at Retama Park near San Antonio Saturday night when There Goes Rocket puts his win streak on the line in the $100,000 Ketel One El Joven, and Bluegrass Sara does the same in the $100,000 La Senorita.
The stakes are for 2-year-olds at a mile on turf, and together they make for one of the richest nights of racing at the meet.
SAN MATEO, Calif. - Lindsay Jean and A B Noodle, northern California's top two female turf runners, square off in Saturday's $60,000 Autumn Leaves at one mile on the turf.
The first stakes race of the Bay Meadows fall meet drew seven fillies and mares.
A B Noodle developed into northern California's top 3-year-old female turf runner last year when she won four straight races over the turf here, including a narrow victory over Lindsay Jean in the Lady Morvich Handicap last August.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - In jeopardy of missing out on one of Saratoga's six juvenile stakes for the second straight year, trainer D. Wayne Lukas on Friday will take two shots at claiming his seventh Grade 1 Spinaway trophy.
Lukas will send out the uncoupled entry of Be Gentle and Unbridled Beauty in the seven-furlong Spinaway, a $200,000 race that drew a field of eight 2-year-old fillies.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Hold That Tiger, who finished third in last October's Breeders' Cup Juvenile, is expected to return to North America and take on Mineshaft in the Grade 1, $500,000 Woodward Stakes at Belmont Park on Sept. 6.
Demi O'Byrne, the racing manager for owner Michael Tabor, said trainer Aidan O'Brien is also considering sending Statue of Liberty for the Woodward, but is more likely to just send Hold That Tiger.
"At the moment, there's a strong possibility Hold That Tiger would come,'' O'Byrne said Wednesday from Kentucky.
DEL MAR, Calif. - Crazy Ensign ended a 10-race losing streak when she won a one-mile allowance race on July 31. Friday, she stretches out to 1 3/8 miles on turf in the $75,000 California Thoroughbred Trainers and Thoroughbred Owners of California Handicap at Del Mar, and will be a strong favorite over a distance that will probably be more to her liking.
In Argentina, Crazy Ensign won Group 1 races from about 1 1/4 miles to 1 9/16 miles, racing on turf and dirt, in 1999 and 2000. She finished second in three stakes races at 1 1/4 to 1 3/8 miles during those years.
AUBURN, Wash. - Dear Deputy and Tejati, who finished a nose apart in first and second in a similar race here on Aug. 14, will head a field of eight 3-year-old fillies in Friday's 6 1/2-furlong feature for $25,000 claimers at Emerald Downs.
In her recent victory over Tejati, Dear Deputy opened a three-length lead after a half-mile in 44.80 and ran six furlongs in 1:10.80. The additional sixteenth on Friday presents a challenge to Dear Deputy, but she has won three of six starts at the meeting and is in extremely sharp form.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Stakes purses have been raised to record levels for the fall meet at Churchill Downs, with the most notable change an increase to $500,000-added for the signature race of the meet, the Grade 2 Clark Handicap.
The Clark, which may be the premier handicap race to follow the Breeders' Cup, was worth $457,200 last fall when it was conducted as a $400,000-added race and won by Lido Palace.
Having worked for nearly 17 years as a chemical engineer, Jeff Greenhill is now having a lot more fun in his career as a trainer of Thoroughbred racehorses. Based at River Downs, where the richest races of the meet take place this weekend, Greenhill said he got into racing "for the fun, not to get rich or famous - although I sure wouldn't mind winning that hundred-grander on Saturday."
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - She is almost certainly the best horse in the country who has not won a race this season. That hardly is a mark of distinction, but Take Charge Lady's losing streak should come to a screeching halt here Monday in the Arlington Matron Handicap. The Matron is a Grade 3 race, Take Charge Lady a Grade 1 horse: do the math.
